Safety appliance for car-couplings.



R. E. CROWLEY.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR CAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1910.

Patented Oct. 3

|| l-llll 1N VEN TOR EOcFe/" E. 6r0W/qy J0 M I W Attorney at nonnnrn. CROWLEY, or GALION, OHIO.

SAFET APPLIANCE FOR CAR-CQU]?LIN'GS.

LOWLQQQ.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. a, 1911.

Application filedlul y s, 1910. Serial No. 571,080.

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, Ronnn'r E. CROWLEY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Galion, in-the county of Crawford and State of Ohio, have invented certain-new and use- I ful Improvements in Safety Appliances for Car-Couplers, of which the following is a.

specification.

This invention relates to the subject 0 car couplings, and more particularly to safety attachments or appliances therefor to provide means whereby each coupler head supports the other against vertical displacement in the event of the'breakageor pulling out of either of the draw bars from its car.

To this end the invention has in view a simple, practical and thoroughly reliable safety attachment for car couplers which can be readily applied to the standard coupler equipment without change or modification therein while at the same time positively safeguarding the train against those accidents which are due to breakage of the draw bars and the consequent uncoupling of the cars and the dropping of the broken draw bar with its coupler to the track. Further more, under the condition of two cars being of unequal height at the point where they are to be coupled, the present invention pro vides means which effectually prevents the cars from becoming uncoupled by one draw bar sliding out of the other or down below the other by reason of the inequality in height thereof. Also, it is a well known fact that frequently in the use of the ordinary car couplers, where one coupler head is higher than the other, irregularities in the track likewise cause the cars to be uncoupled, with all of its attendant dangers and damage, whereas the safety attachment of the present invention prevents these consequences by reason of the fact that one coupler head cannot slip through or out of the other coupler head, and an uncoupling can only be effected in the usual way, viz: by opening up the knuckles with the uncoupling appliances.

With these and many other objects in view, which will be readily apparent to those familiar with the art, as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

The preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure'l is aside elevation of a pair of car coupler heads equipped with the safety attachment'contemplated by the present invention; the view showing one car coupler head dropped (as would be thecase when its draw bar is broken or drawn out), and caught and supported from the other coupler head. Fig. 2 is a bottom lan view illustrating two car'coupling hea s in their coupled relation and provided with the safety attachment claimed herein. 'Fig. 3 is a detail-in perspective of the pivotal coupling knuckle provided with a safety supporting bracket constructed and arranged according to the present invention.

Like references designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings. By way of illustrating the invention as applied to a standard car coupler equipment without material change or alteration therein, there is shownin the drawings a pair ofv J anney-type car couplings each of which embodies in its organization the usual coupler head 1, of the conventional form,

coupling knuckle 3 has a pivotal mounting at one side of the coupler head upon the usual knuckle pin 4, and the free edge or nose 5 of the knuckle may or may not'be provided with the usual holes 6 for a coupling pin, all of which is well understood by those familiar with this class of couplings. Also, at one side of its pivotal oint 4, the locking knuckle 3 is provided. with the lock or holding arm 7 cotiperating with "the usual locking and releasing devices of the coupling, but which devices form no part of the present invention and are in no way affected or interfered with by the latter.

According to the present invention, it is proposed to associate with the pivotal knuckle 3 of each coupler head, a safety attachment of the character referred to, and this safety attachment essentially consists of a supporting bracket 8 depending from the bottom edge portion of the knuckle 3.

The said supporting bracket 8 for each knuckle consists of an upright-shank mem- In new knuckles, the supporting bracket may be cast integral therewith, but in applying the attachment to old couplings, the upper end of the shank member 9 may be dovetailed or otherwise rigidly seated in the bottom edge of the knuckle as shown in the drawings, it only being necessary in any case to provide the rigid connection 1O referred' to. In addition to the shank member 9, the supporting bracket includes, at the lower end of said shank member, a horizontally arranged widened holding step 10 which is rigidly formed with the shank member 9 and projects inwardly therefrom, that is. to say, in an inward direction from the knuckle toward the back of the knuckle receiving re cess formed in the front side of the coupler head. It will be observed that the said step -10 is of a flaring width and is preferably formed with a flat upper side so as to present a wide'and substantial. supporting surface upon which engages and rests the knuckle of the opposing coupler head.

In addition'to thefeature of the holding steps 10 being constructed of a flaring width to provide awide and substantial supporting surface, a practical and important feature of the invention residesin the fact that coupling and uncoupling operations. Itwill be'observed that the steps 10 are so arranged as to occupy a close side by side relation when the two heads are coupled and the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In such positions the flaring or wedge shape steps lO may be said to be in interfering relation, but on account of. the shape thereof, when the coupling,

heads are drawn apart in the uncoupling operation, the tendency of the engagement of the opposing "steps 10-10 is to kick or throw open the knuckles, thus greatly assisting in the uncoupling operation. Also, in the coupling operation of opposing coupler heads, the wedge shaped steps 10 come into engage'ment,.upon their opposing wedge surfaces, and rideback to the positions shown in Fig. 2 with the result of assisting in turning the knuckles into their locked position. By holding steps 10 of the opposing couplers reason-of the flaring width of the and the fact that the supporting members 9 are arranged intermediate the pivotal point and noses of the knuckles, and also by reason of the inward disposition of th steps 10 at substantially right angles to the vertical plane of the knuckles proper, several important advantages are secured. The principal of these advantages are that the steps 10 of opposing couplers have the action described in the'normal coupling and uncoupling operations, besides maintaining a close, substantially parallel relation when the two heads are coupled as shown in Fig. 2 so as to act as braces against the torsional or twisting movement of the couplers. Furthermore, the arrangement described for the steps 10, provides means whereby when a coupler head drops for any of the causes mentioned the bottom corner of the nose of the knuckle of the broken coupler comes into supporting engagement directly on top of the step 10 of the other knuckle, thus securing a point of support in the most advanta- .the side of the shank member 9 carried by the fallen coupler.

I claim: In a car coupling, the combination with the coupler head and the pivotal knuckle thereof, of a safety supporting bracket depending from the bottom of the'knuckl e between its pivotal point and-the free'edge thereof andprovided with a horizontally arranged holdingstep projecting inwardly toward the front side of. the coupler head and arranged to underlie the bottom corner of the nose of an opposing knuckle, said holding step being also of flaring or wedge form for striking engagement with the companion step to assistin the opening and closing of the knuckles of opposing coupler heads.

Initestim ony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. ROBERT E. CROWLEY.

Witnessesz' W. J. Green, MARGARET CRowLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

